Going back home
by shippo3313
Summary: Min goes back to her village in the Fire Nation. Many things have changed and she has a lot to do there before going back to Republic City where her new home is.


She rested her head on the pillow looking outside the window. It was a beautiful and fairly cold night, a pretty unusual thing for the Fire Nation. She tried to close her eyes and fall asleep but it seemed impossible. After trying for a while she sighed and stood up rubbing her eye. She walked a little around the place she once called home until she reached the living room. She sat down on the couch and looked at the place. "Everything looks so empty… and old."

There had been five years since she ran away from that place but now that her father was imprisoned she decided to go and visit her mother's grave one last time. So many things changed in her village. People left, and others came it wasn't the same for sure but it was still the place where she grew up. The things and places that would usually bring back memories seemed to disappear, her nightmares weren't there anymore. Knowing that her father couldn't hurt her anymore did change things in her life.

After a while Min stood up and went back to bed hoping that she would fall asleep this time, she needed all the energy she could have for tomorrow. The morning came quickly and the small woman woke up tired but not too tired to wake up and do everything she had already planned.

Unlike the previous night the morning was warm and not so peaceful. People were already starting to wake up and walk around the village. Children were going to school and the other people were just starting their daily activities, some of them leaving the village hoping that they could make more money somewhere else.

She expected not to find any food anywhere around the house, after all nobody had been there in the past two years. She put some clothes on and walked to the market. Some people would look at her with a raised brow since she wasn't wearing Fire Nation clothes, the purple streak in her hair was attracting attention and they had never seen her in their lives. But other couldn't help but smile when they saw her, the once sad and broken girl was now smiling and she seemed so happy. They knew something happened to her father and they were glad that life destroyer was somewhere where he deserved to be.

She hoped that she would meet with one of her childhood friends but she wasn't lucky enough. As soon as she got everything she needed she headed back home. Yet on her way there she saw a familiar face, she quickly turned her head away hoping that he hadn't seen her. It was Ryu, what if he still had feelings for her? She didn't know if she could look him in the eye after all those years away from each other. Yet she had so many things she had to ask him.

Of course she wasn't that lucky he spotted her and he quickly went to her with a smile on his face. Min looked in his eyes and she could see that he still had feelings for her. It was the same look he had whenever he was with her but this time it had no effect on her, the spark was gone.

"M-Min is this really you?" He asked as soon as he reached her. Min nodded forcing a smile on her face. She had to stay calm, maybe he didn't have feelings for her, maybe he was just glad to see her after so many years. "I missed you so much." He said as he wrapped his arms around her tiny frame. "I'm so glad we're together again."

Her jaw dropped, he still had feelings for her. "Ryu… I…" She didn't know what to say, she couldn't find any words in that moment. She had to tell him the truth, she had to tell him that she moved on with her life and she forgot about him… but she didn't want to break his heart. "Ryu… there's something I have to tell you."

He pulled away from her and looked down at the woman with a raised eyebrow. "What is it Min?" He said gently stroking her cheek the way he used to, many years ago. She looked concerned about something and he couldn't tell what it was. He was happy, happy because the woman he loved was with him again; he couldn't see anything wrong about that situation.

She took a deep breath and looked up at the man she once loved. "I'm not staying here, I'm going back to Republic City in two weeks." It was just half of the story there were so many other things she had to tell him, but she didn't know how.

"But… but Min this is your home. You can't leave us again. Things changed, your father isn't around anymore to destroy our lives, we can finally be happy again." He took her hand and tried to lean down to kiss her but she turned around looking down. "Min…"

"This is not my home anymore Ryu, Republic City is my home now. I moved on with my life Ryu, I forgot about you and I found someone else." Some tears started to fall down her face, why was it so hard to tell him the truth? "You didn't come back for me; I couldn't wait for you my entire life. I know I'm probably breaking your heart right now and I'm sorry. But I had to tell you the truth."

She took her hand away from his and began walking away. "I'm sorry." She didn't want to see him broken so she didn't turn around to face him. She moved on, he could do the same thing. She was sure there was a girl for him out there but she wasn't that girl.

Ryu just fell on his knees when he heard her words. Things stopped making sense anymore, he didn't understand what was going on. He knew it was his mistake, he didn't go after her, he didn't send her any letters… but it was still painful.


End file.
